Car-coupling



UNITED STATES PATENT OEEICE.,`

SAMUEL B. SADLER AND JAMES R. SADLER, OF FAIRFIELD, ASSIGNORS OF ONE-HALF TO MITRAII MAKELY, OF EDENTON, NORTH CAROLINA.

CAR-COUPLINQ.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 505,608, dated September 26, 1893.

Application filed May 8,1893- Serial No. 473,473. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, SAMUEL B. SADLER and JAMES R. SADLER, citizens of the United States, residing at Fairfield, in the county of Hyde and State of North Carolina, have invented a new and useful Oar-Coupling, of which the following is a specification.

The invention relates to improvements in car-couplings.

The object of the present invention is to improve the construction of car-couplings, and to provide one which will couple automatically and which may be readily uncoupled from the sides of cars without going between them.

The invention consists in the construction and novel combination and arrangement of parts hereinafter fully described, illustrated in the accompanying drawings, and pointed out in the claims hereto appended.

In the drawings: Figure 1 is a perspective view of a car-coupling constructed in accordance with this invention. Fig. 2 is a horizontal sectional view. Fig. 3 is a detail perspective view of the locking lever. Fig. 4 is a detail perspective view of the pivoted wedge.

Similar numerals of reference indicate corresponding parts in all the figures of thev drawings.

1 designates a draw-head having a longitudinal opening and provided at one side with a forward extension 2, to which is pivoted a knuckle 3, an arm 4 of which is engaged by a transversely-disposed locking-lever 5, pivoted within the draw-head and extending through openings 6 at the sides of the draw-head. The looking-lever extends beyond the sides of the draw-head and terminates in handles 7, which may be readily grasped from the sides of a carto enable the operation of uncoupling to be performed without going between the cars. Any suitable means may be provided for operating the locking-lever from the top of a car. The locking-lever is pivoted at 8 by a vertical pin, and it is provided on its front face, adjacent to one side of the car, with a vertical shoulder 9, for engaging the arm 4 of the knuckle. The shoulder of the locking-lever is held in engagement with the arm of the knuckle by a spiral spring l0, disposed on a pin 11, and interposed between the rear face of the lock-v ing-lever and the rear wall of the draw-head.

When it is desired to uucouple, the locking-lever is moved rearward against the action of the spring, and a pivoted wedge,which is mounted on the upper face of the lockinglever, drops behind the arm of the knuckle and holds the same out of engagement with the vertical shoulder. The Wedge 12 is mounted in a recess of the locking-lever and is provided with a forwardly-projecting portion, which is beveled on its under side; and the knuckle in closing engages the lower beveled face of the wedge and lifts the same and passes under it, as illustrated in Fig. 2 of the accompanying drawings.

The wedge is adapted, during the operation of uncoupling, to hold the locking lever away from the arm of the knuckle to enable the parts to be set for uncoupling,whereby when the parts are so set they will not require the constant attention of a train hand. When the parts are set for uncoupling and the locking lever is held out of engagement with the arm of the knuckle by the wedge any strain on the knuckle will open it and cause cars to uncouple.

It will be seen that the car-coupling is simple, and comparatively inexpensive in construction, that itis capable of automatic coupling, and that it obviates the necessity of going between cars.

Changes in the form, proportion, and the minor details of construction may be resorted to without departing from the principle or sacrificing any of the advantages of this invention.

Having described the invention, what we claim is- 1. In a car-coupling, the combination of a draw-head provided in its sides with openings, and having a forward extension, a knuckle pivoted to the extension and provided with an arm, a locking-lever disposed transversely of the draw-head and fulcrumed therein, and projecting through openings at the sides thereof and provided at its upper edge with a recess and having a shoulder to engage the arm of the knuckle, a spring for holding IOO zey

passing through the looking lever and causing the same to swing horizontally on it, subtially as described.

In testimony that We claim the foregoing as our own We have hereto affixed our signatures in the presence of tWo Witnesses.

SAMUEL B. SADLER. JAMES R. SADLER.

Witnesses:

W. WATSON, E. S. ONEAL. 

